The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-10

living, bur has an abundance of men bearing
the names Of the truly great men OF past gen
GRAFTON,
One of these. man of genius. was Lazarus
Nicholas Marguerite Carnot, the organizer OF
victory" Of the fret French republic. He was
thirty eight years old when elected memhe OF
the National Assembly in 1791 in which body
he rapidly achieved distinction through the ex-
trene scope of his revolutionary fanatcism. he
proposed the contiscasion of the property OF the
church and the nobility and the destruction or
ala the feudal castles and voted for tho execu-
tiou of the King. But not until he took hold or
the direction OF the army did his genius fuiiy
declare itself. His cali upon the masses OF the
pecple to enlist was the first step toward the
modern universal obligation TO military service.
The first army thus formed from the ranks OF
the people Carnot led in person against the Aus
trians and achieved some substantial successes
at WattienIes IN 1893 He directed the move
ments of Pichgru and jouriau in 1874 and l79o,
and continued to be the moving spirit In all the
subsequent military successes of the republic
Through HIM Napoleon was appointed gem
eral-in-chief of the Italian army. But when Ma
polenn, after his successes, was elected consul
for life, Carnot true to his republican prlnci-
pies. thenceforth opposed him to the last Soon
after Napoleon's assumption of the Imperial
crown Carnos Withdrew from public life alto
gether After the Russian campaign, however.
when he believed France in danger, he came
forward again and offered Napoleon his services.
He was appointed governor of Antwerp ana held
the city until after the downfall of Napoleon.
After the restoration OF the bourbon King ne
continued true to the antI-royalist party but
soon left France and lived in exile at Magde-
burg until his death in 1873.
Napoleon T. with.his unrivaled insight into
the character and value of men. said OF Carnot.
he was .'siiy fellow and easily duned." and
Carnot confirmed the estimate of his silly egotism
by pretending to be the savior of his country oy
directing TO have the single word 'Carnot" in
scribed upon his tom bstone, and saying that
France would look upon his grave as place
of pilgrimage The French do not go go far as
that, but they really consider Carnot the most
adorabls though not the most glorious, hero or
the revolution.
The following anecdote. by no means OF his
toricaI authenticity. nevertheless indicates the
extravaganza OF the faith the French reposed in
the resources found in the genius OF Carnot
After the battle of Waterloo Napoleon in his
fight stopped for short rest at a roadside inu,
when an old officer stepped hastily into his room
and saluted curtly. It was Carnot. lyon are lost,
sire" were his first words. There was no reply.
"Have you conceived plan to save your coun-
try and mine, sire2' continued Carnot- Ashrug
of the shoulders WAS all the reply. Then Carnot
pulled paper from his pocket and handing it
10 Napoleon said There is n plan. sire. made by
Follow fSIt 'o il strictly and You will
yet save our France Napoleon
took the paper But" added the narrator,
Napoleon did not take the advice he did not
foilotv Carnot's plan. and France was lost.n So
deep rooted is the faith in Carnots genius IN the
French mind that anecdotes like the above are
invented to show that even after Waterloo if
was only Napoleons superclious contempt for
Cafnot's advice that brought about the final de-
feat of France.
Il is this in,er sity of admiration for the Car
not of the revolutionary period to which M. Sadl-
Carnot now owes his elevation TO the presidency.
His father, Hippoiyte Carnot, still alive. was
never OF any real importance IN public lfe
Nevertheless, his steady adherence to republic
an PRINCIPLES made the French believe that the
revolutionary tendency was hereditary In the
Carnot family. Hippoiyte went so Tar As AZ one
time to embrace socialistic opinions, but he
changed his mind again. Under the Sec
ond empire he made 1t point to follow his
fathers example os opposition to Napoleon by
refusing TO take the oath OF alieeianee TO the
Emperor when elected to the Legislative Assem-
bly,. That demonstration was repeated three
times. and it constitutes about the whole OF the
public life of Carnot the father.
Francois Sadi- -Carnot. his son, is now fifty
years old. He Ia a civil and naval engineer. He
did distinguished service to the government of
the national defense, in 1S70-71. by organizing
the popular forcas il the three departments
abntting upon the nioush OF the Seine Since 1871
he has been a memh of the Legislative Assem-
blv He was a member of the Cabinets of Ferry,
in 1881: of Freycinet in 1856 He is truthful,
frank and well-meanng aud Is generally ex-
pected tn continue the conservative policy fol-
lowed bv his predecessor, Grevy. he has given
much time TO economic studies, chiefly to the
works of John Stuart Mill. some of which he has
translated That knowledge of economics may
become of great advantage to the French treas
ury in it's present fearful condition of confusion
and deficit.
Not having done anything yet of sufficient
prominence TO warrant judgment upon the nat
ure and force of his ingenuity, he is. peverthe-
less. hopefully looked upon by all the parties of
the political world of France. while the other
European powers will stand guard and wait
They NAV be supposed to PROFOUND the question
whether the grandson is inclined TO believe him
self the heir of his grandfathers military gen
ius. Should he become inflated with any such
idea he may consider himself destined to be an
other ''organizer OF victory" and proceed to
plunge q continent into war.